Lock



M. SUZUKI March 15,1927;

LOCK

Filed May 11, 1925 J ATTORNEYS.

/ INVENTOR 21 fiaJu/ciu Suzy/1 Patented Mar. 15, 1927,

v UNITED? ST ream MAsUioHI snznkn r 'LOS 'ANGELES, CALiFdBNIAQ nook.

Application file'd May 11, 1925. serial uni-2944s;-

This invention relates to locks, and particularly to an automobile steering wheel lock. The invention has for an object the provision of a lock whichwil'l either connect or disconnect the steeringwheel from the steering wheel column so that the steering wheel may either function to guide the car. or be out'ot operation.

' The invention has the provision of a lock which is sightly 1n appearance cannotgetoutot order, and which is difficult to tamper with.

At the present time it is 'customary to providesome form of lock tor-automobiles to prevent'theft' ot'the same; and locks hay'e been provided for steering wheels which permit the steering Wheels to rotate" Without operating the steering mechanism. 'The present invention includes a permutation lock for this purpose and which is adapted to besecured to the steering wheel shaft. Its appearance" is suchthat it does not-attract attention and as a consequence, thieves,- nnless'they were familiar with this type of lock, wouldnot discover the same upon the top ofthe steering wheel-hub, A

permutation lock is more difficult to operate than the ordinary forni (if-"key lock,

and for thisreasonit is superior to the keylock; V p

The invention hasfor further objects an improved device of the character stated vvhichrvvill be'sup'erior in'p'oint or" relative simplicity and 'inexpensiveness, taken in conjunction with efiiciency, serviceability and durability. g 4 V 'With the'above-and other objects in view, the invention consists-in the novel and useful provision, formation,- constructi'ony a'ssociation and relative arrangement of parts, members and features, all as shown in certain of its emboc limentsinthe accompanying drawing, described generally and more particularly pointed'out 'in the claims.

In thedrawing: Figureul is'a fragmentary partially sectional view of positio1'1-;"v E-gur'e 2 isadragmentarypart1 p see tion'al viewon anenlarged seztle-a for a "further object lock; and,

p the steering: wheel column 7 .andwheeh'with the improved lock in i x-- hW-' 'irigthe lock in association withthe'steering Figure 4 is a view similar to Figure 3 and showing the=position ofa keymeinber controlled by movement of certain elements. of the'lock; i I Figure 5 is a view on the line 5 -5 of Figure 3;

Figure 61s a view-certain parts-being in section, of means for 'determiningthe point of'rotation of Figure *7 is a plan view of one of the tumblers. 1

, (lorres'poridin-g parts in all the figuresare deslgnated by the same reference characters.

Referring with particularity; to the drawing,'the improw ed lock; is designated as an entiretyand in one embodiment by A, and

the steering wh'eel 'column with which .such 100k pted'to be-associated, is desig -V nated asB; Thesteering Wheel -eolumn 13 includes asteering'wheel a carried' upon' a' shaft 5 b;- which shaft is encased by a member 0. Ordinarily, the steering "rwheel -hub 1 is keyed to" the shaft, the shafnin this particular being grooved, as shown a keymember fits within said groove 2--and a "groove 3*in the wheel huhll. 'Thusg rotat-toner; the wheel a will produce "moveii'i'ent in the'sha itt I): "The lOCk'A is adapted to beplaced on the top of the wheel hub 1,

Said look A 'nclud s a plurality of turnblers d an'da cap member e One of the tumblers d,-asshown ate, is fiXed-toith'e shaft bby meansof a pin (itraHsVersel-y passed' through said tumbler" shown at 5 at 2, so that certain of the elements of the and the shaft 2).; The remaining tumblers between the fixed tumbler and 'thec'ap e are incvab1e.- v

Figure 7 illustrates one of the tumblers and each tumbler is annular in formation andlikewise formed with an inner annular flange which is not asthick as the body of the tumbler. The said flange 7 is'cunaway as shown at-Sto form a small-groove. inner annularwall of the tumblersbounding-the flange portion 7 is- 'rovided with a plurality of spaeeehnotchese; A'qneihbei f provided withv screw threads 10 and also provided with a portion of :ref' eter 11 "which is also screw thr'eaded" as shownat 12;;has as lit bushing; g surroundi-ng the threads 10. The saidbashing 'ispfiovidd witira me ean fiape'i edbor whiehris serew threedea, as show it at 13 1 10, i

The

for engagement with threads it on airend of the'shaft b. The member f-is'provided with an annular-groove 15 and a key 16 is passed through said bushing and is received within the annular groove 15. Thus the bushing 18 prevented from moving from the member'f. A key it provided with a screw-- threaded )ortion 17 is adanted to en a 'e V 1 .L L D of spaced notches 18, said flanges the screw threads of the member. 7. Said key lies within the split portion of the bush ing 2. q The key is provided with a pluralilty 4 of t 1e 7 tumbler d when assembled, as shown in Figure 3, being received in the said notches 18. It is also noted that the cap e is annularly .grooved as shown at'19 so that the head of the key may be received therein when the steeringwheel i's'out of direct connection with the shaft bqwhich occurs whenthe portion 20 of such key rests in such a posi tion as to be out of engagement with the groove 3 of the steering wheel hub andthe groove 2 in-the shaft. WVhen, however, the

tumblers have beenproperly turned that the cut away or grooved portions 8thereof all lie in alignment with the key, the key can be moved, as shown in Figure a, so as i :to have the. part 20 between the slots 2 and Band thus movement of the steering wheel will produce movement of the shaft 6. Each tumbler, d carries upon the flange 7 a washer 0 such as shown inFi'gure 6, and

such washers are bored as shown at'EZl so as to confine balldetents designated gener-,

ally as'22, the ball portions of which are adapted for reception inthe notches 9. \Vhen -the tumblers have been properly turned :to ali n the cut-away portions 8 with thekey, a. turning of the cap ewill .rotate the member f and the key will be caused totravel along the threaded portion 10 ofj'thelmember 7, either to lock or unlock; the steering'wheel from the shaft.

The cap 6 iskeyedby suitable means 23 to the head. Thetumblers are provided on f theiriperipheries with suitable markings as shown at 24 and likewise with suitable indicia for designatingsuch markings so that the combination may be readily worked by anyone-knowing the combination of numbers necessary for operating the lock.

. The operation and method of assembling the device is as follows:

g'Ihe split bushing g has confined within the same the member 10, which member is secured to the cap, e, The bushing carries a small key which is received-in-the groove :15, of the member 10 so that so far asthe bushing is concerned the same may rotate around and around on the member'lO and still be held to such member. has its tooth the threads of the member The key It portion in. engagement with 10 and such key is confined Within the split portionof the bushing,;said split. portion acting as akeyblers being annular information vided with annular, flanges, said key being way for the key. One tumbler at a time is now assembled on the bushing and each tumbler as it is assembled hasoneof the washers 0 placed within the inner annular space of the same so that it bears against the flange 7, the leg portions of such washer v 0 straddling opposite sides of the key h. In

order to properly, assemble the tumblers the tumblers must be turned so that the cutaway portion or slot 8 Wlll be in alignment with the key it. After all the tumblers have been assembled on the bushing, the final tumbler, which does not carry a a washer, is placed on the bushing. The bushing is then. screw-threaded upon the end of the shaft 7) and the final tumbler member'is pinned to the shaft 3). So long as the slots 8 of the various tumblers are in alignment the key it may be moved upon rotating the cap 6. The flange portions 7 of the tumblers fit within cut-away portions of the'ke'ywhen the key is locked against movement.

The device is very simple in nature. and yet very'efiicienn \Vhere a number of tumblers are used it is a very diflicult matter to determine a. combination, and the average 'petlty thief would be unable to operate the It is obvious thatvarious changes and modifications may be made in practicing the invention, in departure from the particular showing of the drawing, without departing from the true spirit of the invention.

Having thus disclosed .my' invention, I clalm and desire to secure by Letters Patent:

1. Improvements in permutation locks, includ ng a screw-threaded member, a split bush ng keyed to said screw-threaded mem, her, a key within the split portion of said bushing and in screw-threadedengagement with the screw-threaded member, tumblers surrounding'the key and bushing, said tumand pros provided with spaced notches, and said annular flanges of said tumblers being adapted to be received in. said spaced notches when the key is in a given position, one of said tumblers being fixed against rotation, a cap member secured to the said screw-threaded nemberand the other of said tumblers being interposed between said fixed tumbler and the said cap.

screw-threaded member andwhereby aturn 'ing of the said cap member will produce movement of the key Within the split portion of the bushing, and tumblers surrounding the said key and bushing and in engagement with the said key and whereby a proper setting of the said tumblers will permit movement of the screw-threaded member to move the key.

3. Improvements in permutation locks, adapted to be mounted upon a shaft to be turned, including a screw-threaded member, a split bushing surrounding said screwthreaded member, said bushing being secured to the shaft to be turned, said screw-threaded member being rotatably secured to the shaft to be turned, said screw-threaded member being rotatably secured to the said bushing, a key within the split portion of the bushing and in screw-threaded engagement with the screw-threaded member, a cap member secured to an end of said screw-threaded member and whereby a turning of the said cap member will produce movement of the key within the split portion of the bushing, tumblers surrounding the said key and bushing and in engagement with the said key and whereby a proper setting of the said tumblers will permit movement of the screwthreaded member to move the key; said tuniblers being annular in form, and each thereof provided with an inner flange, washer members provided with detents received on said inner annular flanges whereby the said I tumblers may be maintained in given rotative positions.

4E. Improvements in permutation locks,

adapted to be mounted upon a shaft to be turned, including a screw-threaded member, a split bushing surrounding said screwthreaded member, said bushing being secured to the shaft to be turned, said screw-threaded member being rotatably secured to the said bushing, a key within the split portion of the bushing and 'in screw-threaded engagement with the screw-threaded member, a cap of provided with an inner annular flange,

washer members provided. with detents received on said inner annular flanges whereby the said tumblers may be maintained in given rotative positions; said washers being U-shaped and adapted to'straddle opposite sides of said key.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name.

MASUIOHI SUZUKI; 

